Display apparatus



Feb. 21-, 1939. a H P RL 2148,172

DI S PLAY APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1958 INVENTOR.

BY cmt g.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE DISPLAY APPARATUSHarold 0. Pearl, Holyoke, Mass.,

assignor to Application February 28, 1938, Serial No. 192,947

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display apparatus and thenovel' features thereof are directed to the provision of displayapparatus adapted to provide an illuminated effect.

According to this invention there is a background which carries aplurality of reflectors or projectors which may be arranged in theoutline of a figure, scene or whatever may be desired. The saidprojectors extend through the support or background and are adapted toproject or reflect light forwardly from any light source at or near therear face of the support.

According to one feature of the invention the support or background onits reverse side may carry the pattern of the ornamentation to indicatewhere opening for the reflectors or projectors are to be located.

According to one special feature of the invention the projectors may beconstructed and arranged for piercing the background and as they arecaused to pierce the same they are simultaneously inserted.

According to a further feature of the invention the background employedis preferably a fabricated member which may include a body layer orlayers to which is secured a corrugated layer or layers. Thisconstruction gives to the support the desired flexibility and at thesame time provides a thickness or bulk for gripping the reflectors moreefficiently than a single layer of material.

Various novel features and advantages of the invention will behereinafter referred to in the accompanying description of the preferredform of the invention.

In the drawing:--

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the rear side of a support or background memberof the display apparatus of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the forward side of the support member shown inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional elevational views to explain how thereflectors may be associated with the support.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the support member and a reflectormember showing how the reflector elements reflect and transmit light.

Referred to the drawing more in detail the invention will be fullydescribed.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a support is indicated genera ally by 2 and it mayinclude paper or the like. I have found that a support consisting of abacking layer or layers 4 associated with a corrugated layer or layers 5is suitable for the invention. Such material is adapted for theinvention because it possesses the necessary flexibility and thicknessor bulk, is light in weight, and the corrugation on the face of thesupport not only 5 presents an ornamental effect but enhances ornamentalmaterial applied thereto. The support in the drawing is a flat sheet ofmaterial but it will be understood that the same may consist of thematerial rolled up into the form of a 10 column or shaped in variousother ways.

Reflectors 8 or it may be applied. to the support according to theornamental effect it is desired to produce, but as one feature of theinvention the rear side of the support may carry a pattern of a designor ornamentation which of course may be varied within very wide limits.

In the drawing the ornamentation is shown as the letter P but as statedvarious designs or ornamentations may be applied. From the pattern shownopenings for the projectors may be made in the support by punching or inany other suitable manner and the reflectors or projectors may beinserted therein.

Reflectors are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 4 a reflector 3 has amore or less pointed end I 2 which is adapted for piercing the supportto provide its own opening. The reflector may be inserted in openingsformed in the support by any suitable means but as it pierces thesupport it may be left in the hole which it makes. A projector l2 inFig. 5 is similar to the projector 8 but is not designed particularlyfor piercing the support. Both projectors may have a reduced portionwhich is embraced by the support. The reflectors are preferably madefrom transparent material and may well be of glass or the like and whichmay be colored or tinted as is desired.

The glass elements may be inserted from the front or the rear asdesired. By following the guide lines in the pattern the reflectors canbe inserted through the surface either by punching the elements throughin a piercing manner or by inserting them into holes provided thereforby pricking the pattern in certain places as desired. The elements maybe inserted from the front so as to extend rearwardly through thesurface or they may be inserted from the rear so that the heads of theelements extend outwardly beyond the surface in the desired manner.

When the elements are inserted from the rear, the pattern may be usedfor guide purposes. When the elements are inserted from the front, noguide lines are usable unless s0 provided on the front surface of thesupport.

As shown in Fig. 6, the light source can come from either side of thesurface, as desired. When the light comes from in front of front surfaceof the support, as from L, the glass element is a reflector for suchlight rays and also transmits the same through to the opposite side orend. When the light comes from a source to the rear of the rear surfaceof the support, 'as from L, the reverse is true and the reflector actsas a light transmitter to an observer standing before the front surfaceof the support.

It Will be noted that the particular construction of the support asillustrated in Fig. 3 provides a substantial thickness so that thereflectors are suitably gripped and held in place.

When the reflectors are inserted in the support according to some schemeof ornamentation or design they are adapted to project or reflect lightfrom a source rearwardly of their forward faces. The light source may bean incandescent light or lights or the like or from natural lightinstead of artificial light, all to the end that the display apparatuspresents a pleasing appearance.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect toa preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto sincemany changes and modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A display apparatus comprising in combination, a support ofcorrugated paper, a pattern for ornamentation on the rear of saidsupport arranged in reverse order, a plurality of spaced openingsextending throughout said pattern entirely through said support, aplurality of transparent reflectors extending through said openings,producing ornamentation according to said pattern.

2. A display apparatus comprising in combination, a support ofcorrugated paper, a pattern for ornamentation arranged on said support,a plurality of openings extending throughout said pattern entirelythrough said support, a plurality of transparent reflectors extendingthrough said openings producing ornamentation according to said pattern.

HAROLD C. PEARL.

